Audio 4:07
Batman factional battle

Samantha HawleyUpdated
Fri 31 May 2013, 7:00 PM AEST

One of the so called faceless men who helped roll Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister, Senator David Feeney has announced his nomination for pre-selection for Martin Ferguson's seat of Batman. The ACTU's Ged Kearney is also a potential contender.

Transcript

ASHLEY HALL: One of the faceless men of the Labor Party has officially nominated for pre-selection for the Victorian seat of Batman.

The Labor Senator David Feeney this afternoon became the first official nominee for the seat, which will be vacated by the former long-serving minister, Martin Ferguson, who's leaving politics at the September election.

The ACTU president Ged Kearney is also under pressure to put up her hand. If she does so, the stage will be set for a fierce factional battle.

From Canberra, Samantha Hawley reports.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: It's shaping up as an interesting battle.

The Labor Senator David Feeney has now announced his nomination for pre-selection for the seat of Batman, held by the former long-serving Minister Martin Ferguson since 1996.

He's a Parliamentary Secretary for Defence but he's better known as one of the so called "faceless men" who helped roll Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister in 2010.

He didn't make himself available for interview but announced his nomination in a statement this afternoon. And he has some influential backers.

BILL SHORTEN: For me what's important in the lead up to the next few months and the federal election is Labor will have a very good candidate in Batman.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: The Workplace Relations Minister is Bill Shorten.

BILL SHORTEN: If Senator Feeney is successful I think he'll make an outstanding contribution, as he already does, and I am close to him and he would be a very good representative for Batman.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: The Prime Minister Julia Gillard also supports Senator Feeney and it's believed so does Martin Ferguson, but it won't be up to them.

Batman's rank and file Labor members will get a vote.

Government Minister Anthony Albanese says that's the way it should be.

ANTHONY ALBANESE: I'm very confident that they will choose a very good candidate.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: The Health Minister Tanya Plibersek.

TANYA PLIBERSEK: Look, I'm not going to start commenting on who should replace Martin Ferguson but I would say that it's important that the Labor Party continues to work towards our 40-40-20 target. We've said that we want 40 per cent of our members of parliament to be female, 40 per cent to be male and 20 per cent it doesn't matter.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: There's is growing pressure on the current ACTU president Ged Kearney to run, and her supporters appear confident she will.

But in Sydney late this afternoon she was remaining tight lipped.

Nick Economou is a senior lecturer in politics at Monash University.

He says if Ged Kearney nominates it will be a tough battle between David Feeney's right and Ged Kearney's left factions.

NICK ECONOMOU: The really interesting thing that's happening here is that a seat that has been held by the socialist left faction for a very long time, includes people like Martin Ferguson and before him Brian Howe, could go to someone from the Labor unity or right wing faction of the party, with the approval of the Prime Minister who was once herself in the socialist left faction but these days is very much a captive of the AWU right-wing of the Labor Party.

The candidature of Ged Kearney for pre-selection could pose a major upset to the delicate factional balance.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: So if Ged Kearney was to put her hand up we could really see a pretty fierce factional fight going on here?

NICK ECONOMOU: Absolutely. It would not only, not only would it pose a challenge to the delicate factional balance that props up the Federal Government, props up Julia Gillard's prime ministership, it also props up the leadership of the Victorian ALP, but it also has the potential to completely run counter to the Prime Minister's campaign about the feminisation of politics.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: So, I mean, do you think that behind the scenes there would be a real push for Ged Kearney to stay put, to not nominate here?

NICK ECONOMOU: Yes.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Led, obviously, by the right?

NICK ECONOMOU: Yes.

SAMANTHA HAWLEY: If David Feeney fails in his bid his future political career is on very shaky ground.

He holds third spot on Labor's Senate ticket, meaning it will be very difficult for him to retain his current position.

A decision about when a pre-selection vote will be held will be made by the Victorian branch of the Labor Party next Tuesday.